Movie screen stretching device



May 28, 1957 E. J. PETRICK MOVIE SCREEN STRETCHING DEVICE Filed June 22, 1953 2 Sheetg-Sheet l May 28, 1957 E. J. PETRICK MOVIE SCREEN STRETCHINGY DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 22, 1953 ll l.\l IIaL United States Patent MOVIE SCREEN STRETCHING DEVICE Edward J. Patrick, Park Ridge, 11]., assignor to Knox Manufacturing Company, a corporation of lilinois Application June 22, 1953, Serial No. 363,121 8 Claims. (Cl. 160-24) This invention relates to portable motion picture screen stands, and more particularly to a means for stretching a movie screen taut on such a stand.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a device for stretching a movie screen taut in open position to eliminate wrinkles in the surface of the screen,

Another object is to provide a stretching device which is simple and durable, and which may be quickly and easily put into operation when the screen is in open position.

A further object is to provide a stretching device which is economical to manufacture and simple to assemble.

The invention is illustrated in a preferred embodiment in the accompanying drawings, in which i Fig. l is an elevational view of the screen in open position;

Fig. '2 is an end elevational view;

Fig. 3. is a fragmentary sectional view of the stretching device with .the movie screen in unstretched condition;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view taken as indicated along line 4-4 of Fig. 5, showing the movie screen in a tightened condition; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

In the embodiment illustrated, a telescoping supporting standard 10, generally maintained in upright position upon a tripod base (not shown), .is provided with a hook 11 from which a movie, screen 12 may be suspended. The standard has an extensible rod 13 telescoped within a tubular member 14 and held in varying degrees of extended position by a finger lock 15.

The movie screen 12 is preferably secured at its bottom edge upon a spring-actuated reel 16 by stitching 18. When the screen is not in use, the spring on the reel winds up the screen in much the same manner as in a window shade. The reel 16 is journaled within a protective casing 17, and the screen may be pulled upwardly into working position through the longitudinal slot 17a in the casing. At its top edge the screen is lapped over a wooden or metallic rod 19 and sewn to itself by stitching 20.

The top of the screen is attached to the hook in a manner that tends to distribute the pull of the screen over the top rod. An elongated bendable member 21 is generally attached near each end of the rod 19 at points 22 and 23 so that downward forces exerted upon the rod 19 and the screen 12 in open position act through these two points and upon the bendable member 21. A bail 24 is normally secured to member 21 and placed over hook 11 to support the movie screen in open position.

The protective casing 17 is secured upon a bracket 25 which is rotatably connected to a lever arm 26 by a pivot bolt 27. The lever arm 26 is pivotally mounted upon a slidable bracket or sleeve portion 28a of a handle member 28 by a pivot bolt 29, and is bent inwardly at 32 to a position closely adjacent the tubular member 14. The sleeve portion 28a of the handle member embraces the tubular member 14, and the vertical position of the handle member and the casing may be varied by inserting a spring-loaded locking pin 30 into any one of a series of apertures 31 in the tubular column. The stretching of' the screen 12 is accomplished by lowering the reel 16, journaled in the casing 17, While the screen, attached at its lower edge to the reel, is fully extended and fixedly supported at its upper edge by the hook 11.

in operation, the casing is first positioned the desired distance from the floor by using the locking pin 30 to lock the handle member 28 upon the tubular member 14. The screen 12 is then unrolled from the reel 16 to its full extension, and the bail 24 is placed over the hook 11 on the extensible rod 13. The height of the top of the screen may be set as desired by varying the amount of extension of the rod 13. At this time, the lever arm 26 is resting in downwardly extending position, and the pivot bolt 27 is positioned directly above the pivot bolt 29 joining the lever arm 26 to the handle member 28.

To put tension upon the screen the lever arm 26 is rotated to a position as shown in Fig. 4. The casing 17, being eccentrically connected to the lever, is carried downwardly a distance equal to twice the spacing between the pivot bolts 27 and 29. The increased tension downwardly on the screen causes a slight bending in the elongated member 21 which is attached to the rod 19 near the outer marginal portions of the screen 12. Of course, the member 21, being resiliently flexible, exerts upward forces at its ends in an attempt to retain its natural shape. These forces pull the screen uniformly taut and eliminate wrinkles over "the entire screen surface. To close the movie screen, the lever arm 26 is first rotated 180 to its original position to relieve the tension upon the screen. The bail 24 is then removed from the hook 11 and the spring-actuated reel 16 retracts the screen within the protective casing 17. The extensible rod 13 may then be telescoped within the tubular member 14, and the casing 17 can be rotated about the pivot bolt 27 to a convenient carrying position adjacent the tubular member.

The foregoing detailed description is given for clearness of understanding only and no unnecessary limita: tions should be understood therefrom, for some modifications will be obvious to those skilled in the art.

.1 claim:

1. A picture screen comprising: an upright standard; a supporting member pivotally secured to said standard for supporting one end of a screen; and a flexible screen having a pair of rod members secured to its opposite marginal end portions, one of said rod members adapted to be detachably secured to said standard, and the other of said rod members being pivotally secured to said supporting member eccentrically of the pivot between said supporting member and said standard whereby pivotal movement of said supporting member moves said other rod member away from said one rod member when the latter is attached to the standard to stretch said flexible screen taut between said rod members.

2. A picture screen comprising: an upright standard; a supporting member pivotally secured to said'standard; and a flexible screen supported by said standard in open position between a pair of rod members, one of said rod members being secured to said standard, and the other of said rod members being secured to said supporting member eccentrically of the pivot between said supporting member and said standard whereby pivotal movement of said supporting member moves said other rod member away from said one rod member to stretch said flexible screen taut between said rod members.

3. A picture screen comprising: an upright standard; a supporting member pivotally secured to said standard; and a flexible screen supported at its opposite end portions in open position between a top and a bottom rod member, the top rod member adapted to be detachably secured to an upper portion of said standard, and the bottom rod member being pivotally secured to said supporting member eccentrically of the pivot between said supporting member and said standard, whereby pivotal movement of said supporting member when said screen is in open position lowers said bottom rod member with respect to said top rod member, stretching said screen taut between said rod members.

4. A picture screen comprising: an upright standard; a lever member pivotally secured to said standard for supporting one end of a screen; a screen casing pivoted to said lever at a point eccentric of the pivotal mounting between said lever member and said standard; a springactuated reel journaled in said casing; a top rod member adapted to be detachably secured to the standard; and a flexible screen secured at its opposite end portions in open position between said reel and said top rod member, whereby pivotal movement of said lever member moves said casing and reel away from said top rod member when the latter is attached to the standard to stretch said screen taut between said reel and top rod member.

5. 'A picture screen comprising: an upright standard; a supporting member pivotally secured to said standard for supporting one end of a screen; and a flexible screen having a pair of rod members secured to its opposite marginal end portions, one of said rod members being provided with a resilient elongated bendable member secured to it at spaced points and adapted to be detachably secured to said standard intermediate said spaced points, and the other of said rod members secured to said supporting member eccentrically of the pivot between said supporting member and said standarrLWhereby pivotal movement of said supporting member moves said other rod member away from said one rod member when the latter is attached to the standard to cause said resilient bendable member to flex longitudinally and exert forces at said spaced points to stretch said screen uniformly taut between said rod members.

6. A picture screen comprising: an upright standard; a lever member pivotally secured to said standard; and a flexible screen supported at its opposite end portions in open position between a top and a bottom rod member, the top rod member being provided with a resilient elongated bendable member secured to it at spaced points and adapted to be detachably secured to said standard intermediate said spaced points, and the bottom rod member being pivotally secured to said lever member eccentrically of the pivot between said lever member and said standard, whereby pivotal movement of said lever member moves said bottom rod member away from said top rod member when the latter is attached to the standard to cause said resilient bendable member to flex longitudinally and exert upward forces at said spaced points to stretch said screen taut between said members.

7. A picture screen comprising: a supporting standard; a lever member pivotally secured to said standard for supporting one end of a screen; a screen casing pivoted to said lever at a point eccentric of the pivotal mounting between said lever member and said standard; a reel journaled in said casing; and a flexible screen supported at its opposite end portions in open position between said reel and a top rod member, said screen being adapted to be rolled upon said reel, the top rod member being provided with a resilient elongated bendable member secured to it at spaced points and adapted to be detachably secured to said standard intermediate said spaced points, whereby pivotal movement of said lever member moves said casing and reel away from said top rod member when the latter is attached to the standard to cause said resilient bendable member to flex longitudinally and exert forces at said spaced points to stretch said screen uniformly taut between said reel and top rod member.

8. A picture screen, comprising: an upright standard; a supporting bracket secured to said standard; a flexible screen having a pair of rod members secured to its opposite marginal end portions, one of the rod members being secured to said bracket and being movable longitudinally of the standard with respect to said bracket, and the other of said rod members being secured to the standard in spaced relation to said one rod member to support said screen in open position; and manually operable means for moving said one rod member relative to its supporting bracket longitudinally of the standard and away from the other rod member to stretch said screen taut between the rod members in open position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 751,204 Rapke Feb. 2, 1904 1,700,637 Lamb Jan. 29, 1929 1,917,369 Heck July 11, 1933 2,386,450 Eller Oct. 9, 1945 2,534,960 Ditty Dec. 19,1950

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